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\f0\b\fs24 \cf0 Climate, GDP Link in Pacific Islands\
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\b0 \cf0 by Shayal Devi\
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\cf0 December 2, 2013 - Climate change impacts could trigger a 4% drop in Fiji's gross domestic product by the year 2100, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank.\
Xianbin Yao, the bank's Pacific department director general, said the decline in GDP could happen when higher temperatures and more extreme weather events hit agriculture and the broader economy. "In future, the country could see an increase in droughts and floods, along with a pick-up in wind speeds and rainfall, all of which will negatively impact the economy," he said.\
Titled
\i Economics of Climate Change in the Pacific
\i0 , the report includes the modeling of future climate over the Pacific region, as well as assessments of the potential impacts on agriculture, fisheries, tourism, coral reefs, and human health.\
The report says that under a medium emissions scenario, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu could see temperatures rise 2-3\'b0C by 2070. This could lead to significant decreases in rain-fed agriculture, reduced fish catches, widespread coral bleaching, and falling tourism numbers.\
The report states that "Fiji can expect to see droughts and floods during El Ni\'f1o and La Ni\'f1a periods, and a potential temperature spike of 2\'b0C by 2070, from the 1990 level, under a medium emissions scenario.\
"Sea levels may rise by as much as 1.41 meters by 2100.\
"The negative effect on agriculture contributes to most of the total economic cost of climate change in the Pacific, and it is estimated the Pacific region could require $447 million on average until 2050, and up to $775 million \'97 or 2.5% of GDP \'97 per year to prepare for the worst scenario."\
The report recommends policy leaders take urgent action, to mainstream climate change mitigation into development planning and develop forward-looking adaptation strategies. It also recommends climate-proofing infrastructure, to improve long-term sustainability, and boosting capacity of Pacific countries to deal with climate change on their own.\
"Pacific countries will also need dramatically improved access to global and regional climate change funds."\
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\cf0 www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=253052}